AN iPhone app that lets users simulate blowing up buildings, dropping cars on crowds and even launching carpet bombs on their neighbourhood has been branded insensitive by an Australian psychologist.

The Action Movie FX app allows users to take video footage and add action movie effects from a missile strike to tornadoes.

Launched on the Australian App Store just before Christmas the app also allows users to buy extra effects, including chopper crashes and armed assailants opening fire on the video subject.

But the free inclusion of a car flipping and rolling at the camera touted as "Look like an action star as you evade a massive CAR CRASH!" was yesterday panned as insensitive to victims of road trauma.

Glenn Cupit, senior lecturer in child development at the University of South Australia, warned the app could go beyond a bit of fun when it dabbled with the very real emotions of road trauma survivors.

"My immediate reaction to that is that it's incredibly insensitive," he said.

The app is touted as light hearted and its creators encourage users to post videos on Facebook for a bit of fun.

But the Herald Sun has learned at least one man had to remove a video post from Facebook after his employer saw it.

Others have taken the chance to blow up their children, something Dr Cupit sees as an improvement over physical action taken against a child.

"I'd prefer that than them actually throwing things at the kid," he said.

"I think it would normally be done in a comedic context, and it doesn't concern me greatly.

"If you had a particular situation where a father was spending hours each day blowing his kids up on screen, then I'd raise an eyebrow."

The app carries a 9+ warning for infrequent and mild cartoon or fantasy violence.

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